This morning Hans Nyberg sent me the most impressive panorama I've seen of Mars yet, made from images released by NASA on August 27. Put it at full screen and look around. It's just like being right there, but with oxygen and air conditioning.

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The size of Mount Sharp—which is 12 miles (20 kilometers) from the rover—is truly impressive. It's the first time that we have been able to see such terrain features on Mars—which actually feels like Death Valley, Mojave or any other desert on Earth. Except for the rattlesnakes. [Panoramas]